10/14/2007 09:35:36 AM 
(1) 
(1) These experiences include: mixing and burning CDs, creating photo books, building family trees, all at computer stations, the store is also retailing some electronic iPod related products.
They are testing the idea in 12 stores around the country. On paper it seems to make strategic sense, in reality, having visited one of the 12 stores, it's harder to understand and its a good example of the problem with the retail experience these days.
There's an old fashioned notion in the minds of consumers that stores are working hard on their behalf to create a nice "edited' experience, of course, we know that this experience is fast becoming advertising based, with stores charging slotting fees and pay to play models for brands.
You can see this in the new Borders experience; it feels like a physical version of a catalog where companies have paid to be there. Part of the problem is that the chain has taken a lot of its inspiration from Apple and the emerging iPod economy, but it can't provide an Apple-like in-store environment to pull the vision off.
Clearly, the senior management at Borders have a challenge on their hands, they can't offer the breadth and selection of online players, or even some of the big box electronics retailers, not can they provide an Apple experience, but they also appear to want to generate additional revenue from suppliers.
I don't just want to pick on Borders, because retail is rapidly shifting from an edited to an advertised experience. The consumer is oblivious to what's going on behind the scenes, which is fine, until it starts to impact their experience and in the long-term, that could have serious implications for retailers.
Posted by Ed Cotton
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hmmm, nice to see one of the BIG 2 doing something different, kudos to that but...an advertising environment/experience is not so different, neither are DIY computer stations in-store: who wants to go to a Borders to do something they can do with an application at home? i'm thinking...music, books, cafe...generate alt forms of revenue...simply, Borders wants more people to be spending more money, and they want to encourage this with more products. All in the name of Planning for Good: why don't they think of things to do with the products they already have? Say...book stations with enhanced customer service: tie-in a person to person connection with people on a mission: think Google for books. There are a lot of consumers who don't know how to find the right book, let Borders become Book Kings! Anyway, I'm sure there are more needs out there to be discovered/insights to be found. Borders should hire some planners to give more meaning to their marketing highs. ya?